


The Witch and The Queen

by MindKnox



Series: This World Of Marvels [2]
Category: Legion (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, WandaVision (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Chapters 1 and 2 Written Pre-Episode 9 (Wandavision), Crossover, F/F, First Dates, Fluff, Healing, Lenny Busker Gets A Hug, Light profanity, Mental Health Issues, Past Character Death, Past Child Abuse, Past Drug Use, Post-Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Post-Legion (TV) Season 03, Post-Wandavision (TV), Recovery, Romance, Therapy, Time Skips, Wanda Maximoff Gets a Hug, Wanda Maximoff-centric, fast burn, pretty much love at first sight
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-17 14:54:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29227320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MindKnox/pseuds/MindKnox
Summary: Wanda Maximoff and Lenny Busker meet in Clockworks to get treatment for their traumas. And while here, they soon find a way to heal in togetherness and love.Indulge in these three meals - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner - and experience their life together in the aftermath of death and addiction.
Relationships: Lenore "Lenny" Busker/Wanda Maximoff, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Series: This World Of Marvels [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2145684
Kudos: 4





	1. Breakfast

Wanda wants to tell herself that she isn’t real. That this whole messy situation isn’t at all real. Maybe it’s all a dream, maybe it’s all a hallucination, maybe she messed with an alternate Wanda who Westview’d her into this empty-feeling place.

But no: it is real. All of it. The power-dampening bracelet on her wrist, her fellow patients roaming the halls, the hollow, hopeless looks on their faces, the facility containing them all - Clockworks - and all the pain she’s wrought upon the world just by the virtue of being the one who survived when everyone else didn’t. It will never stop being real, even if it’s masked in alternate realities and parallel universes.

Amidst the chatter and noise, she hears someone approaching, snapping her out of the trance: a squeaky wheelchair with a female patient sitting in it. Her skin is pale, her hair is dark and messy, and she stares intently into Wanda’s soul with eyes brown, bloodshot and tired. “Hey there, hero!”, the patient enthusiastically asks Wanda. “Why the sad face?”

Wanda tries her best to ignore her without being rude, sternly answering, “It doesn’t matter if you know.”

The patient shrugs her shoulders, “I mean… yeah, but are you not gonna answer the question at least?”

Wanda turns her neck to face this woman, looking her up and down just to be sure that this isn’t a trick of some sort. But seeing as she’s moving the chair with her legs, it very well could be. “Who did you steal that wheelchair from?”

Mimicking Wanda’s accent, the patient answers, “It doesn’t matter if you know.” Seeing a small smile on Wanda’s face, she chuckles and adds, “Besides, you still haven’t answered my question.”

The smile vanishes as quickly as it came. “Do you really want to know?” The patient nods her head with intrigue. “I’m cursed. Everyone I love dies, yet I remain, collapsing with every passing day.”

The patient nods her head, worried for Wanda’s mental state. She tries to muster up as much empathy as she can when she curtly tells her, “That’s pretty rough. But you’ll get better. We all can, but especially you. I mean, you’re an Avenger. Big time superhero, and all that.”

Wanda sighs and informs her, “I’m not so sure about that anymore. Apparently, I’m a danger to society at large. My teammates have faith in me, but the Powers That Be do not.”

The patient shrugs it off and quickly takes a different approach: “Okay, so screw the superhero angle, and also screw the Government. What about the ‘you’ angle? You’re pretty, you’re nice, you’ve got friends and a support system, I’m sure-”

Wanda glares at her, upset that she just isn’t seeing things her way. “You don’t understand what I’m saying, do you? Everyone I love dies. My parents. My brother. My husb… boyfriend. My kids. I can’t even have my wits about me. I think I’m going mad.”

“Like I said, it’s a rough thing to go through, and I understand completely, Red. I’ve been there too. Sorta.”

Wanda stands up, though the patient gets ready to follow. “You have no idea what I have been through. Consider yourself lucky.”

The patient sighs as she looks around and asks, “When was your first drink, hm?” Wanda’s a bit confused, but there’s more to this story: “Mine was when I was eight years old. Gran-Gran had a game: take a shot at the start of every commercial break. Said it helped time fly by so the show could get back on track. Seeing how much shit I’ve put in my body, well… What day is it again?”

Wanda quickly answers, “Uh, Tuesday, and I’m sorry you went through that.”

The patient shrugs her shoulders and remarks, “So much for luck. Guess we’re just a pair of problem children, huh?” She smiles at Wanda and gets a chuckle out of her. “By the way, my name’s Lenny.”, she says as she extends her hand out to Wanda.

She shakes Lenny’s hand and tells her calmly, “It’s nice to meet you.”

“What’s your name- no, wait, don’t tell me… Something Russian, I’m guessing…”

“Wanda Maximoff.”, she informs her with a slowly-growing smile and a jokey roll of her eyes.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Wanda.” Lenny procures a bag of candy from her pocket and asks her, “Twizzler?”

Wanda takes one graciously and says, “Thank you.” As she bites into the Twizzler, she adds, “Sorry about belittling your problems.”

Lenny shrugs her shoulders and tells her nonchalantly, “Don’t sweat it, Red. Anger’s natural, it comes and goes. You just gotta roll with the feeling… or calm down, that also works.” As Lenny bites into a Twizzler of her own, she asks, “I haven’t seen your pretty face around the schoolyard before. How long’ve you been here?”

“A week. You?”

“About four months, maybe five. Don’t worry, you’ll probably be out in a jiff. Just stay on your best behavior, y’know.”

Wanda raises an eyebrow to this statement. She worries for Lenny.

Before she can ask about her attitude, an orderly appears: “Wanda Maximoff. Your 3 PM appointment is ready. Please follow me.”

Wanda stands up and shoots Lenny a smile. “I hope I can see you again.”

“You will. It’s not like I’m going that far anyways.” As Wanda follows the orderly, Lenny waves her goodbye for now before rolling along on the stolen wheelchair.

The orderly leads Wanda down the halls, though she strolls along with resolve slowly overtaking her fears. Things may seem oppressive, but at least there is some good to be found in this facility.

Exhibit A: this lovely Lenny lady she’s just met.

Exhibit B: her helpful therapist, Melanie Bird, cloaked in white and pastel, sitting at her office desk. “Good afternoon, Wanda. How has your day been?”

Wanda puts a smile on her face, and it feels real for once. “Not the best, but certainly not the worst.” As she looks around the office, she asks Melanie, “I have a quick question: have you worked with a patient named Lenny Busker before?”

Melanie sighs, though not in disappointment. “Is she giving you trouble?”

Wanda shakes her head quickly, hoping that she hasn’t given off the wrong impression. “No, no. She’s nice. A bit odd, but nice… and pretty too.”

“Would you say you think of her as a friend?” Wanda now nods her head, thinking of how nice that word sounds. After all, it’s not often that she gets to hold onto it. “That’s wonderful, you’re already making good progress. But about Lenny… She can be a handful. You’re more than allowed to be a friend, but please be careful around her.”

Wanda raises an eyebrow, interested in this challenge. Onto the next: “What are we going to talk about today?”

Reading through some files, Melanie informs her bluntly, “Today, we’re going to try entering your mind. ”

“What? Wait, ‘we’?”

Into the office casually steps a man of suave attire, straight out of the groovy 1970s. He exchanges some hearty glances with Melanie before offering Wanda a handshake and an introduction: “Oliver Anthony Bird, dedicated follower of fashion at your service.”

His attitude is disarming and his words are charming, but Melanie’s words still sit with her, bringing soft warning. Wanda asks her, “Why would you want to enter my mind? I’m not sure if that’s protocol.”

Melanie smiles and gently explains, “You have nothing to worry about. You’re a special patient, Wanda, with special gifts pertaining specifically to the mind. My husband here is a mutant, much like yourself, which means he can help you on a personalized level. All we need is your consent. Otherwise, we’ll proceed with more standard methods of therapy.”

“You’re not going to hurt me?”

“Not at all, we promise you that. We’re only here to help. In fact…” Oliver pulls out a mug of lollipops from his jacket, shaking it in his hand. “You can take as many as you like once the procedure is over.”

Wanda tells herself that the lollipops aren’t what she’s doing this for, and that much is true. She knows what she truly fears: that which lies within her psyche. But if this is how it must be done, then so be it: “Okay. I consent to this… mind probing.”

“Thank you very much, Wanda. And do not worry, we’re here to help.” “Ease your mind, child. We come in peace.”

The air reeks of rocket fuel, death, and dust. The sky, trapped in perpetual moonlight, has been blotted out by the smoke of war and the fires fighting to illuminate it. The ambiance has been scared off, leaving the gunshots and screams to frolic and play.

It’s not real for the Birds (and even then, Oliver’s adequately prepared several rituals to face any threats), but for Wanda, it’s all she sees when she closes her eyes. This is her darkness, and it never leaves.

“Ah, how properly bleak.”

“I’m sure you can understand.” Wanda seems disappointed with herself, seeing all this in person, or rather in mind. For her, the anguish of survival is either a blank of absolute emptiness or an all-encompassing hellzone of trauma.

“Should directly facing any of this get too distressing, we’d like to give you this blindfold.” Without a second of hesitation, Wanda grabs the blindfold and wraps it over her eyes. She feels safer already. “Let us continue.”

It would seem that Wanda’s blindfold will help her greatly, as the welcoming committee proves to be quite the deathly sight: the mangled corpse of Ultron stands at the entrance. Oliver calls out to him and asks, “Excuse me. We were hoping you could grant us passage through our friend’s memory.”

Without emotion, the Ultron apparition speaks: “Be warned: pain awaits for those who traverse the mind of Wanda Maximoff.”

“I figured. Come along now.” Oliver, Melanie and Wanda walk past Ultron. “Just stay calm, Wanda. How are you holding up, Melanie?”

Melanie smiles at her husband and tells him curtly, “I’m doing well, Oliver. I appreciate you asking.” From the billowing smoke blotting the skies, a vehicle descends. “Okay, who’s this now?”

A yellow attack helicopter parts the clouds, blaring ungodly noise from its radio in the hopes of upsetting the atmosphere of Wanda’s mindscape. Its pilot, the Mad Titan Thanos, stares down at his prey, watching them for any sudden movements with a starry glint in his eyes. Once he lands, he steps out of the vehicle and coldly warns Oliver, “You should never have come here, magic man.”

Oliver shrugs her shoulder bluntly. “Perhaps, but it is in my job description. ‘Help patients unlock these crucial traumas and face them’. You on the other hand, you can leave whenever you wish.”

“As can you.”, Thanos declares as he rips the propeller of his helicopter to wield as a weapon.

Oliver sighs and retorts, “Well, now you’re just speaking in circles. Not very productive, is it?”

Something about this threat speaks to Wanda, on a level only she can understand. Perhaps it’s ill-advised, but she removes the blindfold and gazes upon the resurrection of Thanos.

Noticing this, Melanie steps in front of Wanda and comfortingly tells her, “It’s okay. He’s not really here. He’s gone, remember?”

Wanda gently moves Melanie aside, gravely informing her, “Not yet he isn’t.” With ease and a tilt of her head, she lifts Thanos into the air in a haze of crimson magic. She twirls her fingers in the air, manifesting blades of red magic and tearing into the Titan, spilling his styrofoam innards onto the ground.

“Something’s not right…” Behind the mask of Thanos’ false menace is another: a skull and bones emblazoned over gunmetal battle armor. His true face revealed, Brock Rumlow unleashes a feral growl as his hatred and thirst for battle boil over. Wanda feels the rage too as she angrily screams, “YOU!”

In a sudden burst of flames, Rumlow repels Wanda’s restraints and drops down with a thud. As he dusts himself off, he reminisces and laughs at Wanda. “Still trying to save those people in Lagos, huh? Pathetic.”

Melanie steps back, knowing of Rumlow’s evil from Wanda’s last mention of him back in the waking world of therapy. “Oliver…”

“I know.” Quickly, he prepares a trap for the supervillain from the palm of his hand.

But there’s no need. Wanda tells the Birds such: “No. I’m stopping this.” She’s serious, as she slowly takes flight.

Rumlow looks up and keeps on laughing. “I know what you’re probably thinking; ‘This guy’s probably not real’.” Without pause, from his gauntlets he unsheathes sleek daggers. “I’m real as a rose.”

“Then this should be interesting.” The clouds begin to bleed, though it does not rain. Thunder crackles from above as Wanda glares at Rumlow with glowing red eyes and the intent to utterly destroy him. The energy permeates within her being as she fires thunderbolts upon Rumlow.

The bolts strike Rumlow’s body, but their impact is mitigated by the aura of hatred emanating from Rumlow’s being. In response, he fires back with a hail of gunfire from his gauntlets, though they have no effect on Wanda either. As it turns out, she too is being fueled by her hatred… or is she?

Worried for Wanda’s mental state, Melanie asks Oliver, “Should we try to get her out of here?”

With minimal concern as the violence rages on, he calmly informs her, “No. You see, this Rumlow isn’t a mental apparition, I’ve sensed. He is a literal apparition. I’ll try exorcising him, but I’m not very familiar with those sorts of occult dealings.” In a big kaboom, Rumlow is sent flying away into a heaping pile of rubble. “Wanda does seem to be handling the matter quite well, if I might say so myself.”

Instead, he pulls out two cups of astral popcorn for the two of them.

They eat it. It tastes good.

Rumlow attempts to get back up but the metal is too tough to lift. Wanda looms over the beaten villain and stares him down, her eyes burning brighter than Mars among the stars. “Stay. Down.”

Rumlow would get up, but he can’t fight onward. He raises his hands and waves them almost mockingly. He’s defeated, he surrenders… or does he?

Quickly, Wanda pulls the triggers he’s secretly hidden around himself - thirteen, to be exact - out of his reach.

And just to spite him, she drops some more rubble on him, burying him save for his hands and feet.

“Let’s get out of here.”

“Oh, I’m not leaving.” the Rumlow rubble muffedly tells her. As Wanda turns back to face him, tilting her head, he continues: “You didn’t think it’d be that easy, did you? Just bury your demons and call it a day?” He yells pointedly, “You’re broken, Maximoff! And there’s no fixing you!”

“Of course she can.” A blue vortex - this sudden speaker - encircles the Rumlow rubble, entangling him in enhanced kinetic energy. “She just has to take the first step toward acceptance.”

“Wanda is stronger than you think, Rumlow. In time, she will heal.” A yellow spotlight - this other speaker - shines upon Rumlow, disassembling his essence. “We both have faith in that.”

Emboldened by the familiar presences, Wanda raises her hands, summoning red thunderous lightning into her palms, and delivers the killing blow. Crossbones crumbles, leaving him to tumble in the wind and out of her mindscape.

The smoke clears, bringing in the shining sun. It watches Wanda with a shimmer, happy to see her again. She hopes it can stay, but only she can truly save herself.

Wanda opens her eyes, reawakening refreshed. The Birds wake up too, and Melanie asks her, “Wanda, are you okay?”

With a clearer sense of being, she nods her head with a smile.

“How do you feel now?”, Oliver asks.

“I… don’t know. Better, maybe?” She feels clearer, but this is reality after all. Like waves receding back into the sea after crashing into the shore, the trauma still lingers within her psyche. The smile fades.

But the Birds notice, and Melanie places a supportive hand on Wanda’s. “It’s okay. This was never going to be a one-step process, even with my husband’s abilities. You feel upset still, but it is perfectly fine to feel this way. That’s progress, and you’re doing great. Of course, we’ll continue to work with you every step of the way, so don’t worry for a second; you’re never alone in this fight.”

With the meeting over, Wanda and the Birds part ways for the day. As they leave to places unknown within the facility, she graciously tells them, “Thank you.”

Sitting outside of Melanie’s office in wait is Lenny, arms crossed and foot tapping on the floor. She spots Wanda and asks, “How’d it go?”

“It went well. Lollipop?”. She offers Lenny five out of the nine Oliver gifted her, which she accepts without hesitation. “Are you up next?”

Lenny shakes her head, “Nope, I usually get my appointments out of the way early. Course I’m a little groggy, not a big morning person, but it’s good to be free now rather than then.” Since they’re both free for the rest of the day, Lenny looks her down and asks, “What do you wanna do now?”

Wanda shrugs her shoulders and asks, “Can you show me what this place has to offer?” With a playful smirk, Lenny accepts.

It’s a date. Like so, they run along the halls of Clockworks, almost without a care in the world, if not for each other’s presence. They dance together in the main hall with several other patients, watch the afternoon news in the entertainment center, grab their lunch - apple pie today - in the cafeteria, share their sweets for second dessert, people-watch from the connecting glass walkways, and talk a ton more about themselves; not their tragedies but instead their hobbies, goals, stories from the past, et cetera.

Wanda talks a ton, but Lenny shares… none.

Day quickly turns to night. The two return to their rooms, ready to clock in for the night, as they giggle together. It feels good, maybe even better. With a grin on her face and Lenny’s hand in hers, Wanda tells her, “Thank you, Lenny. This was so much fun.”

Lenny skips along and responds, “I aim to please.” As they approach Wanda’s door, she starts to briskly jog away, happily waving to her, “Good night, Red.”

Before she can get far, Wanda calls out to her, “Hold on now. What’s going on with you?”

“Sorry, can’t hear you. I’m already out of earshot.”

“Lenny, I’m being serious. As your friend, I… I’m worried for you.” Lenny looks worried about hearing her say that, and she stops, hoping not to be rude. “What are you gonna do when you get out of here? You kept evading the question earlier… Lots of questions like that, really.”

“I’d get in a hell of a lot of trouble if I answered them.”

“Lenny…” Wanda gives her a look of concern, dead serious is the emotion in her eyes.

“Fine. I don’t want to get better. I wanna get back to the drugs, the sex, the rock and roll…” Wanda sighs, almost disappointed. Strangely enough, that doesn’t seem to wholly be in her, as if she’s repelling that disappointment. “You’re not gonna tell anyone, right? We’re cool like that, right?”

“Sure, but it’s not that, it’s… You’re better than all of that vice, Lenny.”

Lenny smiles upon hearing that. “I appreciate the optimism, Red, I really do, but it would be best if you don’t waste it believing in me with silly words like that.”

Wanda walks over to Lenny, sternly telling her, “Don’t say that, because I mean it. You’re better than that, you should know that! You deserve to know that.” Even though Lenny is shrugging and smiling, She can tell clear-as-day that Lenny is merely masking her pain. “You’re gonna get out of here.” Wanda takes a hold of Lenny’s hand as if she were never going to let go of it. “We’re gonna get out of here… together.”

Her grip, like her glare, is strong but gentle. Lenny knows it, she feels it. It sends a shiver through her psyche and she states, “You seem serious, Red.”

“You’re the first real friend I’ve made here, Lenny. You believe in me, you told me as much.”

Lenny sputters, “Well, yeah. You’re a superhero! You save cats from trees, stop bank robberies, fight technicolor bad guys from the far side of Pluto!”

“And you’re my friend! You matter to me, and I don’t want you to hurt yourself!” Lenny freezes, eyes wide open in shock. “Promise me something.” Lenny nods her head. “One day, you’re gonna look back on everything you just said - about undoing your recovery, about how you think it would be okay - and you’re going to tell me you were wrong. Promise me that.” Wanda’s breathing hitches as she holds Lenny’s hand. “Please.”, she begs of her as she holds back tears.

“I don’t think I…” She stops herself because she knows the truth, it’s laid bare for her to see: she has to keep her promise. “Fine, whatever, I promise.” Suddenly, she’s wrapped up in Wanda’s arms, hugging her like there’s no tomorrow. “So when are we breaking out of here?”

Wanda pulls away from the hug, though she still holds Lenny, and asks, “What?”

Lenny laughs, much to Wanda’s playful annoyance. “I’m kidding.” The two back away from each other, their hearts set. “So, uh, again: good night, Red.”

Wanda smiles. “Good night, Lenny.”

The two part ways, but they’re already anticipating seeing one another again in just a few short hours. But for now, it's time to rest their weary minds and sleep.


	2. Lunch

Lenny steps out of Clockworks, out into the light, rejuvenated in body and mind. The Sun shines down as she breathes in the fresh air. Now that her system’s clean, she can enjoy life anew; this refined sense of smell, of sight: she sees Wanda out in the clear, leaning back against a luxurious sportsmobile.

Lenny rushes over to her and holds her in a strong hug as they share smiles on both of their faces. Wanda says, with peace in her tone, “Hello, Lenny.”

Still in love with her accent, she responds, “Hey, Wanda. How have you been?”

“Busy, but when are us superheroes not busy?” Wanda shrugs her shoulders, still wearing that smile on her face as she looks at Lenny’s healthy face.

The two laugh in understanding and sympathy. “That’s true, very true. So where are we going?” Lenny walks up to the front passenger side of the car and tries opening the door, but it doesn’t open.

“It’s upstate, but we’re not driving to the restaurant.”

“No? How are we getting there then?” Wanda faces toward the direction they’ll be travelling in with an excited look in her eyes…

The trees blur by, their branches shifting in the wind. Lenny holds onto Wanda as they fly high over the New York forests, cheering in astonishment at her power. They know they could stay in this moment forever if they wanted to, though it is starting to feel a bit like a rollercoaster, bringing some familiar nausea along with it.

But like a rollercoaster, they can hold it in and enjoy the adventure - the winding Hudson, the expanse of green trees, and the geese that keep passing by and pose a serious health risk to their fun.

Fortunately, their destination isn’t too far away. Within thirty minutes, they’ve landed in the village of Sleepy Hollow and are walking down the calm and quiet streets, happy and holding hands.

Lenny’s always thought of a life like this, away from the big city, away from the pull of crime, away from the big alien invasions that occur every three years (give or take). She knows Wanda’s also thought of it and even lived it… until she was coerced into summoning a reality-warping field of hypnosis by an evil witch, which consequently led to her three-lifetime ban from the state of New Jersey.

But that won’t happen next time. Perhaps they can move here, now that Lenny’s without a place to go and Wanda works close by.

“Are you feeling okay, Lenny?”

With a light nod of her head, she remembers that she is still awake and walking with Wanda. “I’m feeling great. I just kinda got lost in thought.”

Interested, Wanda asks, “What is on your mind?”

“Being free like this, with you. But enough about that, we’re in the moment, right? You’ve just gotta live it up.” Wanda’s a bit confused by the wording, though she appreciates the sentiment. Realizing this, Lenny corrects herself: “‘Live in it’. That’s what I meant.”

Wanda likes the sound of that, it’s very optimistic.

After a couple more minutes of walking around the town, soaking in the sunlight, they reach their destination: a fancy little two-floor Italian spot facing the Hudson River by the name of Restaurant Constellation. “Do you like it?”, Wanda asks.

“Yeah! It’s not often I eat at dives like this. Here’s hoping I don’t get us kicked out.”, Lenny says as the two walk in, much to Wanda’s amused irritation. She realizes her mistake and sighs with a roll of her eyes, “I know, I know.”

As they approach the maitre’d standing at the entrance, Wanda softly tells Lenny, “You look great, by the way. I like what you’ve done with your hair.”

Lenny feels a flutter in her heart at the sound of the compliment. “Thanks.”

Recognizing Wanda’s face, the maitre’d blissfully states, “Bonjour, madames! Welcome! How may we service you today?”

“We have a reservation set. Table for two please.”

“Oui oui, let us take you two to your table then!” He walks into the restaurant, urging Wanda and Lenny to follow him.

Up the stairs they go, past the other quiet customers. Now sitting at their table with a view to the River, Wanda asks Lenny, “So how have you been? Were the Birds treating you well?”

“Of course." Lenny answers with a nod of her head. "Melanie’s great like you said, and I’m glad she gave me a second chance. And y’know something else? I’ve learned that people are nice to talk to. Like Tim, he’s really good at ping pong, loves watching soaps.”

“Anything specific?”, Wanda asks in the hopes of getting some recommendations.

“Dove, mostly. L’oreal too. Anyways, Polly’s been good to talk to too, for an orderly. She loves video games, especially roleplaying games. Tree-Man’s cool too, like I didn’t know there was that much to the environment, but he loves it all. And Clyde… let me tell you, that man is just a fountain of conversation.”

Wanda smiles at Lenny, proud of her. “Look at you: so social.”

Lenny shrugs her shoulders and tells her with a giggle, “It’s a part of my charm: I’m a fast learner, and I aim to please. So how have you been doing? Is the superhero gig still holding up?”

Wanda sighs, “It’s as busy as ever. Fight a supervillain here, an army of mole monsters there. My favorite part of the job is helping people…” Her smile fades as she remembers some of her less-than-rosy interactions with the public. “Even if some people aren’t very thankful. I’m not looking for any thanks, I just want to help.”

“People are always gonna be scared of shit they don’t understand. Just don’t let them get to your head, okay? Though if any of them do, let me know. I’ll sort it out real easily.”

“Lenny…” Although it warms her heart, it also disturbs her… and makes her chuckle too. “That’s- oh my god. That’s awful.”

As Wanda laughs, Lenny tells her heartfully, “But seriously, stay strong, it suits you. And, like, you don’t even have anything to apologize for. You’re moving past the maybe bad shit in your past, right? You’re doing good things, more than most of us really. That’s worth a lot if you ask me.”

“Well, I appreciate that. Thank you.” It feels nice for her to hear that.

Even if Wanda’s spirits are now lifted, Lenny worries that her word isn’t enough. She must go further; quickly, she gets up to her feet, walks over to Wanda’s side of the table, and wraps her up in a big hug. “You’re feeling better now?”

With a gentle nod of her head, Wanda softly answers, “Of course.” She’s a bit confused but she accepts it, holding Lenny’s arms and smiling in the embrace.

After a couple more minutes of waiting, the maitre’d arrives and takes their orders before bringing them their desired meals. They feast upon fine cuisine for lunch, laughing together and chatting as they dine.

About an hour later, they’re full and satisfied. They pay up and leave, walking down to the river on this sunny Summer day.

As they take a seat on a bench together, Lenny tells Wanda with a smile, “That. Was. Good. Thank you, Wanda.”

“You’re very welcome.”

The two watch what’s ahead of them, their bodies at ease as they rest for now. Cargo ships and sailboats gracefully swim up and down the Hudson, their new eco-friendly builds protecting the whales that swim in the waves beneath them. The Sun shines bright over the clear blue skies.

“So where are you headed now?”, Lenny asks. “Back to base?”

Wanda shakes her head and informs her, “I actually have a house now, not too far away from here. Flying distance. It’s nice, quiet, homey…” _A place to grow old in._ She clears her throat and asks, “How about you?”

Lenny pauses and hums, trying to think of the right answer… which she doesn’t feel like she has. “I don’t have anywhere else to go. Most of my friends, well, there’s too much ‘old Lenny’ energy around them, and you know how hard I’ve been working to stay clean.”

“Do you want to stay with me?”

Lenny shoots Wanda a confused look, not believing what she just said. She shakes her head and answers, “I don’t want to put that burden on you.” That feels like it would be the right answer.

It isn't for Wanda. With a tone as serious and sincere as ever, she tells Lenny, “You’re not a burden to me. You mean so much more to me than that.”

Hearing the conflict in her words and seeing the worry on her face, Wanda holds Lenny’s hand, looks her in the eyes, and tells her affirmatively, “You’re more than welcome to stay with me. It can feel a little lonely around the neighborhood, and you are my friend… I like you, Lenny.”

Lenny is taken aback by the statement, her eyebrows raised. With a joyful gasp, she responds, “Well, I like you too, Wanda.” Seeing the smiles they share, she adds, “Ah, screw it. I’ll stay with you.”

Wanda nods her head and looks back out to the Hudson.

Gently, Lenny leans her back against Wanda’s body, cozying next to her. She’s almost ecstatic when Wanda wraps her arm around Lenny’s shoulders in response, keeping her close.

They’re in this together, the healing process. Never again will they go it alone.


End file.
